Principal Secretary in the State Department for Sports Elijah Mwangi has dismissed reports suggesting Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam could send their legends or academy sides to Nairobi for the opening of the Raila Odinga International Stadium.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe government official instead confirmed that the two European giants will be represented by their senior teams.Speaking at a funeral in Murang’a County on Saturday, 31 October, he clarified that the 5 January 2027, fixture would feature the main teams from both clubs##NAJAVA_MECA_10077464##“I want to put it on record that the teams (Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam) that will be coming to officially open the Raila Odinga International Stadium on January 5, 2027, as announced by the president, will be the senior teams. I have seen people saying that we will be bringing the legends. The teams that we have approached are the main teams,” he said.The PS also pointed to the opportunity the match presents for local football, noting that the new facility would also serve Kenyan clubs, including Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.“Of course, we have our own teams here, Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards… they will be playing in that field, but if we bring teams that have a worldwide following of over 300 million people, that means we will be displaying what we have as a country,” he added.No public money for Bayern, Ajax match as government reveals how over KSh1 billion will be raisedBeyond the stadium inauguration, the government views the high-profile encounter as an opportunity to give Kenya international visibility through the global reach of the two clubs as the country prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Uganda and Tanzania.Mwangi said the decision to bring the European sides to Nairobi was part of efforts to showcase the country's sporting infrastructure and promote Kenya to millions of football supporters across the world.The 60,000-seater Raila Odinga International Stadium, located at Talanta Sports City in Nairobi, is scheduled to be officially inaugurated through the 5 January encounterStars Abroad: Obiero strikes as Carlisle extend unbeaten run to seven games“We have built the Talanta Sports City, and we are almost done with it. That is why we have managed to secure a top-notch match between Bayern Munich and Ajax. We want everybody to know that Kenya has a world-class stadium. The two teams have a huge global following, and therefore, their coming here means we will be able to ride on that and brand the country positively through their platforms,” said the PS.##NAJAVA_MECA_10077645##He further projected significant economic benefits from the event, arguing that its impact would extend beyond the actual match through increased international exposure and opportunities linked to the country's tourism and sports sectors.“The economic impact of that period of the match and beyond will be huge, and that is the legacy of our president, Dr. William Ruto,” he added.